Masked Intruder
Love and Other Crimes
(Pure Noise Records)
Everyone’s favorite masked pop punks return with the bittersweet Love and Other Crimes. With a new label in tow, this EP is most likely a stopgap to tied lovelorn fans over until the next full-length surfaces. For those who like their pop punk served up with an edge, this release accomplishes that, in six songs that show a bit of growth of the secretive Wisconsin band.
Opening track ‘Take What I Want” has a distinctive early Cheap Trick feel in its staccato riffery and driving refrain. And that’s a good thing, as this little burner happens to be the EP’s standout track for it’s big hooks and relentless push. “First Star Tonight” has a bit of Dookie in its sprite grooves while “Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt” showcases an ever-so-slight AC/DC slant in its opening power chords, but quickly morphs into the melancholy power pop that characterizes MI’s signature sound. The ballad “Still Always on My Mind” switches things up a bit, sounding more like the Everly Brothers than Blink-182, with a sound that recalls the past, but feels fresh in today’s schizophrenic punk landscape.
Love and Other Crimes feels like an evolution for Masked Intruder. The vocals are stronger, the guitars more robust, and the songs more full formed. Per all that, it’ll be interesting to see what these hopeless romantics in cheap masks serve up with their next full length.
Purchase Love and Other Crimes here: iTunes | Physical
